My Healthy Leaf samples came today! There’s several that I’m pretty excited about, but I was in the mood for a roasted oolong and it’s getting late so I needed low caffeine so roasted and aged sounded like a good combination.
The dry leaves are dark, twisty, and reasonably intact. They smell like… nothing? This might be the least aromatic (dry) tea I’ve tried. Much more important though is how it brews.
I gave it a wash and waited a couple minutes for the leaves to open up and then started brewing. Brews a clear red-brown with a fruity aroma. Taste of ripe fruit with cinnamon, roasted nut, and tobacco notes and a mild cocoa bitterness. The flavor lingers in the mouth long after you sip it. Slight wisp of smoke. The following steeps are a little less fruity but are cleaner and display more minerality. It start to get notes of citrus zest and red wine.
Very tasty tea, but peters out a bit quickly. I’m considering buying some, but it’s a bit pricey for me to drink on a regular basis.
Flavors: Cinnamon, Citrus Zest, Cocoa, Fruity, Mineral, Orange Zest, Red Wine, Roast Nuts, Smoke, Tobacco
